Ziklag

"A town in the Negeb, or south country of Judah (Josh. 15:31), in" the possession of the Philistines when David fled to Gath from "Ziph with all his followers. Achish, the king, assigned him" Ziklag as his place of residence. There he dwelt for over a year and four months. From this time it pertained to the kings of Judah (1 Sam. 27:6). During his absence with his army to join "the Philistine expedition against the Israelites (29:11), it was" "destroyed by the Amalekites (30:1, 2), whom David, however," "pursued and utterly routed, returning all the captives (1 Sam." "30:26-31). Two days after his return from this expedition, David" received tidings of the disastrous battle of Gilboa and of the death of Saul (2 Sam. 1:1-16). He now left Ziklag and returned "to Hebron, along with his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, and" "his band of 600 men. It has been identified with `Asluj, a heap" "of ruins south of Beersheba. Conder, however, identifies it with" "Khirbet Zuheilikah, ruins found on three hills half a mile" "apart, some seventeen miles north-west of Beersheba, on the" "confines of Philistia, Judah, and Amalek."